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OPINION CHRISTCHURCH MAIL, DECEMBER 12, 2013 11 Overrun with problem students In response to Martin Taylor’s comments about the Riccarton West rubbish clean up (Mail, December 5), the residents in this area (not his central area) requested this and the Fire Service responded with Police assistance. Despite what Mr Taylor says, the students, after the end of their exams, burn their rubbish in the street anyway and his community patrollers don’t catch them and never will. We in this area are a group of residents supporting the Police to reduce crime and make ours a better and safer place to live – an area overrun by students, who in the past, have not seen this area as their home to respect. Thanks to these initiatives, crime, graffiti, vandalism, alcohol offences, burglaries, knocking over rubbish bins, and yahooing have gone down and we are sleeping more. Can Mr Taylor tell me what he has done to achieve any of that? Gavin Marriott Riccarton Clean-up support I see what the neighbourhood group is saying, but I support any clean-ups. Perhaps the cost of these clean-ups should be borne by the landlords and/or student bond moneys. It is obvious from the increased number of untidy properties in Upper Riccarton that the number of student flats has increased markedly in recent years. Also, they obviously did not READERS’ LETTERS come down our street. If they had, they should have taken away some council rubbish, namely road signs and sand bags in two piles outside two properties on Waimairi Rd. These have been here for at least the last couple of months since the council did some road repairs. The council was phoned about a month ago, but the piles are still there. Tony Schmetzer Disrespectful I was extremely concerned to see the photo on page 3 (Mail, December 5) of a man and a dog posing on the railway line. It is a criminal offence to trespass on the rail corridor. It is extremely disrespectful to those who have died or been injured in railway accidents to use rail tracks for such a frivolous purpose. It undermines the work done by Tracksafe and the safety measures of KiwiRail and other New Zealand railway organisations. A new rail safety website has been launched to raise awareness and educate the public about rail safety. The site: railsafety.co.nz has been developed by Tracksafe and is aimed at improving safety at level crossings and around railway tracks. (Abridged) Peter Gibson Chairman Weka Pass Railway Disappointed TrackSAFE NZ (formerly the Chris Cairns Foundation) is disappointed to see the image published of a media celebrity posing with a dog on railway tracks. We are concerned that the publication of these types of images contributes to normalising what is an incredibly dangerous behaviour. As a rail safety charity we work hard to educate the public that they are placing themselves at enormous risk when they trespass on the rail corridor, and that the only safe and legal place to cross railway tracks is at a level crossing. In the future we would respectfully request that news organisations such as the Christchurch Mail refrain from publishing these images. Megan Drayton Foundation manager TrackSAFE Stay off tracks This week’s issue of the Christchurch Mail featured a story about Trisha Stewart’s fundraising calendar for her K9 charity. While Ms Stewart’s intentions are very commendable and we wish her well with her fundraising efforts, I was disappointed to see a photograph from the calendar featuring a young entertainer posing on ■ Have your say We welcome your letters. They should be no longer than 200 words. The editor reserves the right to abridge letters and also decide whether letters are suitable for publication. Letters must include a full name, address and phone number. Pseudonyms will not be accepted with letters. Email to Geoff.Mein@fairfaxmedia.co.nz, or post to: Editor, Christchurch Mail, Private Bag 4722, Christchurch 8140. railroad tracks. We spend a lot of time and effort trying to stop people from accessing our rail corridor and putting their lives, and the lives of others at risk. Trespass on the corridor is an offence which can come with a $10,000 fine. Although this may seem to some people like an overreaction, we have far too many incidents of people being frightened, hurt or killed every year on the corridor and we do not want this encouraged in any way. Every incident is one that my team on the trains have to deal and they are very difficult when they involve injury or death. One of the most disappointing aspects of this image is that sends a message to young people that it is ok to be on the railroad tracks. It is not. KiwiRail devotes time and money year after year to safety education to change that mindset. (Abridged) Jim Quinn Chief executive, KiwiRail Bird brains I agree with Colleen Biggs (Mail, Dec 5 ) regarding the one dimensional article on magpies. Human beings are said to have the mightiest intellect of all the species, so surely we can find a way to deal with a pea-brained bird, without killing it and starving its young. Obviously, the most logical defence against its territorial, seasonal attacks is to stay out of its way for that short time. June Peka St Albans Never swooped I was shocked at reading the article about suggested methods of slaughter of magpies in the Mail (November 28). Having lived in Australia for some years, I came across many magpies and was swooped often when riding my bicycle. The magpie usually came off second best, hitting my bicycle helmet instead of my scalp. It is said that magpies do not attack if they think someone is looking at them and many cyclists paint or draw eyes on the top of their bicycle helmets. There was a magpie nest in a tree by my home and each morning on my way to work I would look at the magpie and say ‘‘good morning’’. I was never swooped by that magpie although I saw it swoop other people. Presumably, it knew I was no threat to its young. Pamela Stokes Richmond